The Proposal
by Sweet Mouthful
Summary: Lucius has Severus tied up alone in a strange room, there he offers Snape a chance of acceptance back into the dark order. Only it comes at a price


"Ah, Severus. So it would be truth to say you turned your back on us. I've been disappointed in you old friend." He had always been condescending; he always would. It irritated Snape to no end how much of a bastard this man could be. "It's funny really." Lucius said with a smile. Light from the solitary torch, floating in the middle of the room, increased the hard features of his face.  
  
"What's funny?" Severus asked his former best friend with bitterness that Lucius ignored or didn't care to notice.  
  
"The funny thing is," Began the pale man while he crossed the stuffy room. He fished in his deep robe pocket and pulled out a pipe that had seen many nights like this one. "Is that you double cross the only family you ever had. Amusing, is it not?" An aged chair shuddered as Lucius' harsh movements overtook it. After his pipe was lit and a few puffs taken, the death eater relaxed against the chair causing it to squeal.   
  
Severus sat tied up to another chair in silence, his being smaller and uncomfortable, Lucius carelessly watching him; pipe no longer in hand. "I said, it's amusing isn't it?" No answer from the bound man. "Isn't it!?" Lucius' voice rose to a somewhat coarser level.   
  
"Not quite." Severus replied, growing tired. Hell, he had been in that room hours before Lucius arrived. Abducted, on his way back from a Hogsmeade pub, by one of the faceless, nameless wizards he used to be accepted with. Fashionably late was Malfoy's way to be. Slow and calculating. What was Lucius' plan for him? Severus didn't know but he wouldn't doubt being killed in that windowless room, sitting in the rickety chair.   
  
"Indeed." Lucius took short strides towards the other man. Until the two were face to face. Inches from him, looking into his dark eyes, the blue eyed man spoke. "I know you miss us. Him. How could you no-..." Hacking coughs along with slightly violent convulsions controlled Lucius for the moment. He moved away from his captured, turning his black fur clad back to hide his not so subtle bout of weakness. He was deteriorating. "Do excuse me." Lucius resumed his talk looking a bit older than before his fit. "To make my point, we want you back. After all, muggle killing was always more of a show with you around."   
  
A disturbing crash sounded, suddenly, from somewhere beyond the mysterious room. Lucius ceased to talk for a second but quickly put the noise out of his mind."There is a proposal for you to return to our side. See? That's why you're here tonight. I mean this has been fun...you know, both of us here...together. Like old times. Although, you *are* tied up. Still I do recall you did like being tied up."  
  
"To the point Lucius!" Severus spoke rasping; impatiently. Annoyed at these games. He wanted to know what he had to do. He wanted back in. He'd do anything if that meant acceptance like that of his younger years. Lucius stepped away, pacing in front of Severus for a good minute, contemplating a thing only Lucius could know what, focusing his attention on the opposing walls, before continuing.   
  
"Alright, alright." He waved his hand. "Here it is, oh yes, the moment you've been waiting for! The proposal!" He smiled like a poor child on Christmas morning discovering mounds of presents. "First I must ask if you want to return to us?"  
  
Quickly with a sureness not even Severus himself was convinced he had, he answered. "Yes."  
  
"Great!" The blond man clapped his hands together smiling his charming guileless smile. "And you will be accepted back. As long as you complete a dearly needed task to prove you'll be once more faithful."  
  
Moving to run his fingers through his hair only to be reminded; he was still tied up, Severus asked sarcastically, "Would that task be the proposal?"   
  
That earned him a laugh from Lucius, who spoke when his amusement subsided; clearly he enjoyed this childish game. Lucius was like a child taunting 'I know something you don't know!'  
  
"Yes, the proposal." He grew serious. "You teach the Potter boy. The Dark Lord wants you to kill him."  
  
Simple and to the point. A sick perverse smile crept onto both men's faces. It died out on the Potions expert as the depth sank in.  
  
A few moments lingered while a decision was made. Or perhaps it had already been made. Severus for years questioned his want to be accepted back into the fold. That became easily answered over time...Yes, of course he did. Now he questioned whether he could trust this wasn't a trap of some sort. But when Severus Snape spoke, it was jokingly. "Do you want his head on a silver or gold platter?"  
  
Lucius was practically glowing hearing those words uttered.  
  
"Lord Voldemort has always favored gold himself."   
  
He was in. Again, Severus, once the task was completed would be apart of the dark order.  
  
Lucius muttered a spell under his breath magically untying Snape's bonds making him free to leave. Thankful he was leaving with only bruises on his wrists, he shook Lucius' hand.   
  
"Pleasure doing business with you, although, I felt the whole act was a bit too much."  
  
"Dear Severus, merely for affect. However, I do apologize."  
  
"Well I *do* understand but I should be apparating back. Dumbledore will start sending out search parties if I'm not back at a decent hour."  
  
"Goodnight then, and do travel safely." Lucius gave a courteous bow with his last remarks and Severus nodded back. "Oh, if you were wondering..." Severus turned around, looking questioningly with one eyebrow raised. "If you *had* turned us down. I would have had to kill you."  
  
Snape shifted weight to his left foot and clasped his cloak shut. Nonchalantly he said, "Good to know. Goodnight."  
  
Severus, not sure why, smirked as he apparated back to the familiar landscape of the village. It was an eerie looking night with the moon light creating a greenish glow over the land. Despite it all, it was an exciting night. Night now early morning. Tipplers were making scenes along the alleyways and dirt roads.   
  
Breaking into walk, Severus returned to his chambers at Hogwarts, a short while later. No Dumbledore or disturbances awaiting him. He fell asleep immediately. The next days he would get ready for another school year. More nuisances; Longbottom and his stupid foul-ups. More Slytherins to mold. And most importantly the beginning of Harry Potter's fifth and final year. 


End file.
